


The Maiden and the Unicorn - WIP

by Teralina



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Hunters & Hunting, unicorn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29607759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teralina/pseuds/Teralina
Summary: So, because I'm an idiot and don't have nearly enough WIPs to finish up yet....Here's another that won't leave me alone until I write it. About a maiden who falls in love with a unicorn.At least that's where it's going right now. It may or may not change it's mind as I get farther along. You know how these things work.Short story, possibly to be removed once it's done. Largely unedited, first draft, and not super well written to begin with so feel free to ignore.
Kudos: 1





	The Maiden and the Unicorn - WIP

The bleat of the hunting horn sounded in the distance. Not distant enough. How he hated that horn. The baying of the hounds almost drowned it out. Soon they would be nipping at his heels, driving him right to their master.

His sides heaved with every breath. His nostrils flared wide, drawing in deep lungfuls of air with every stride. They would be on him soon and he was getting tired. He'd already been running for so long. Every bit of ground he lost, they gained on him. He had to get them off of his trail. Get a chance to catch his breath.

The river. It would be dangerous, especially given how exhausted he was, but he was swiftly running out of better options. The icy water stole the breath from his lungs as effectively as a blow to the chest. His limbs froze in shock and he slipped quickly below the surface, swept along with the rushing water. Reaching the surface again was a fight, his only prize the ability to take another breath. Keeping his head above the roiling surf was a draining struggle. That he eventually made his way back to the shore and climbed out was more accident than intent.

Collapsing to the rocky soil, it took several breaths to regain his strength. The horn sounded again, but it was much farther away now, the cry of the hounds confused as they struggled to refind his trail. It wouldn't take them long.

Rising on legs that felt like brittle twigs, ready to snap and fall away, he forced himself to continue on. He had to find somewhere safe to hide.

Lady Rissa sighed and peered down into her teacup. The tepid brown liquid mirrored her own frowning face disapprovingly back at her. Sitting across from her, the Countess Keltisse continued to drone on about subjects Rissa had no interest in. She tried to give appropriate responses when Keltisse indicated they were expected, but Rissa didn't care about who was currently vying for the countess' hand in marriage, nor for gossip about what housemaid was pregnant with which minor noble's baby.

The picnic had seemed like such a good idea at the time. A chance to get outdoors for a little while, enjoy the garden, get away from her stodgy parents for a little while. The affair was much less interesting in practice, however.

Several other women her age were in attendance, all of them clinging to the countess' every word as if their lives were at stake, all of them as vapid as smoke in Rissa's opinion. They had all been served tea and tiny watercress sandwiches. The sun filled the beautiful garden with a warm glow, and a cool breeze kept everything comfortable. 

When Lady Rissa had first arrived, she had been quite happy, reveling in the beauty surrounding her and breathing deeply of the fresh air. But the excitement and newness of her surroundings had quickly faded into emptiness. While it was nice to have a break from her studies and chores for a while, there was certainly nothing exciting going on.

Lady Rissa was just beginning to form an excuse to leave early when a loud crash of trampled shrubbery interrupted her thoughts.

All eyes turned in the direction of the sound and all conversation was halted. Unspoken questions hung in the air like festival decorations. When the crash came again, several of the other women rose to their feet, ready to bolt like frightened rabbits.

Lady Rissa felt her heart begin to flutter in excitement instead of fear. Finally! Something interesting was going on! The element of possible danger only added to the excitement. Her hand rose to her chest to contain her racing heart, her eyes darting across the tall hedges that stood between the group and whatever large creature was making such a racket.

More rustling and more stomping approached, but the culprit still remained unseen. Finally, the thick branches were torn apart, and a blurred form was expelled into the small center of the garden as if born directly from the plants themselves.

Laying on the soil panting was a man. He curled into himself and covered his head with his arms as if afraid he would be struck by the women. Most of the others danced skittishly away, but Rissa rushed to the stranger, kneeling down beside him to offer aid. “Are you alright?” She asked him, laying a gentle hand on his forearm.

The man's skin was hot as if burning in fever. His clothes, while of good quality, were scuffed and dirtied, as if they had been worn for several weeks without being removed. The garments had once been pure white, which must have been quite expensive, but they had become dirtied and worn to more of an ivory. Still, only a man of means could wear such easily-stained finery.

Slowly, the man's arm lowered and he turned his head to look up at her, face twisted in a strange mixture of confusion and resolution. He looked younger than Rissa had expected. Suddenly, she was captured by his eyes.

They were a living green, as deep as the forest itself, the iris surrounded by a corona of gold. The man's intense gaze delved into her like a spear, and Lady Rissa felt herself stripped and vulnerable in the space of a single heart-beat. Had she been laying before him naked she would not have felt as exposed as she did with that single glance into her very soul.

“He's coming.” The man said breathlessly. His voice carried no inflection within the two words, but somehow Rissa felt as if he were asking for both help and understanding. “He will be here soon. I already hear the dogs.”

“Dogs? Did he say dogs are coming?” Someone asked behind her. 

“What about dogs?” Spoke up another worried voice.

“I don't hear anything. Is he delirious?” Asked yet another. “Someone bring some water.”  
He didn't look delirious to Rissa. His intense gaze was sharp and intelligent. It gave nothingand asked for nothing in return, and yet she felt an instant connection to the stranger. Surging within her was an intense need to save him from whatever he was running from. She opened her mouth to speak, although she had not yet formed any words in her mind, when she heard the first cry.

At first she thought one of the other ladies had made the noise, but when it came she recognized it as the baying of a hunting hound on a trail. She could not fathom anything the man could possibly have done to earn being hunted like an animal. Finally she forced her eyes away from his, breaking their strange connection, and looked up into the faces of those surrounding them. Some looked back at her with eyes wide with fear, while others were merely curious. A scant few were excited, like herself. “Quickly, we have to hide him.”

The unending call of the hounds was coming closer, and much too quickly for Rissa's liking. They had only minutes.

“Hide him?” One of the rabbits cried, slender fingers covering the ring of her shocked mouth as if to protect herself from inhaling the taint of scandal. “What? Why would we do that? What if he's some sort of criminal or something?”

She was shoved aside by the countess. “Really now, Isabelle. Where is your adventurous spirit?” She looked down at Rissa and the stranger briefly, then nodded. “Get him on his feet, then come. I will cover him. Everyone else, settled back in your seats. Pretend nothing has happened.”

Rissa offered her arm, but the man barely touched her, despite taking great effort to rise to his feet. Without comment, he followed the countess. She sat down and lifted the skirts of her great gown, motioning for him to take cover next to her legs. He curled tightly into himself by her feet, then disappeared beneath the drape of muslin and yellow silk.

Lady Rissa felt a small stab of jealousy as she retook her own place at the table, hands curling around her teacup to keep them from shaking rather than a need for comfort, but she also found herself in awe of the other woman. While the countess was a few years older than the rest of them, Rissa would never have expected her to act so boldly. And yet, there she sat with a strange and hunted man hidden beneath her dress, sipping her tea and chatting away as casually as she had before the stranger had arrived.

Before Lady Rissa could wrap her head around that, the first of the hounds arrived. Baying and barking, the dogs burst from the surrounding topiary, their calls mingling with the squeals of startled women and crashing dishes as several of the ladies again jumped from their seats. Two of them darted back toward the manner, a few of the dogs trailing in their wake while the rest of the pack gathered in the courtyard, snuffling and circling as they searched for their prey.

One dog's nose came too close to the countess' skirts and received a hard swat for his diligence, sending the animal yelping back several feet. The horse and rider showed soon after, the powerful equine sailing over the hedges as effortlessly as a flying bird.

The rider's face changed from a victorious grin to a befuddled frown as he pulled his mount to a halt. “Oh, um... hello, ladies.” He said slowly, looking around at the disarray of the interrupted tea party. “This is... unexpected.”

“Yes. It is indeed, Robert.” The countess replied dryly. “If you wanted an invitation, you could have simply asked. Not that I would have expected you to be interested in womanly affairs.”

Young Robert Northam had the decency to look embarrassed beneath the weight of the countess' scorn and suddenly found his saddle horn much more interesting to look at than her face. “Yes, well.” He said, quickly recovering his composure. “I do apologize for the intrusion, Keltisse,” he turned his head to bow at Countess Keltisse and each of the remaining women in turn. “Ladies. I was chasing a rather unusual beast, and I suspect he may have come this way. May even be nearby now as we speak. He's quite the crafty creature, possibly even able to change his appearance. He's always managed to evade me, but I almost had him this time. I don't suppose you've seen anything strange come through here today?”

Lady Rissa felt herself freeze, her grip so tight around the teacup she was sure it would shatter into a million pieces. Her eyes cast from one face to another, fearful only that one of them would break and reveal the man's presence. Before any of them could, however, the countess raised her head and gave a disdainful sniff. “The only beasts I've seen are you and your...animals. Kindly remove them, and yourself, from the premises, so that I may salvage what I can from this party that you have so rudely ruined.”

Robert's face curdled into a scowl, his skin turning red as if boiled, but he managed to bite back any unkind words that choked his throat. “Yes, of course.” He said tersely, before giving a command to the hounds. The baying began up again as they crowded around the horse's legs, following closely as the horse was urged to trot peacefully out of the garden.

Everyone watched as the group left until finally they disappeared from sight and the call of the dogs was barely able to reach their ears over the rustle of wind-blown leaves.

“His parents are really just lovely.” Countess Keltisse complained before taking a dainty sip of her tea. “I don't know how they ended up with such an intolerable mess for a son. Maybe he's a changeling. It would explain so much, really.”

“A changeling?” Lady Rissa asked distractedly. She forced her fingers to release the teacup and flexed them individually. Her thoughts were racing and she had no attention left to make sense of the statement. Her knuckles each felt as stiff as if they had been made of lead and it took effort to loosen them.

“You know, a little monster left by the fairies when they steal an infant, enchanted to look human.” the countess replied brusquely. “You can come out now. He's gone.” She lifted a part of her gown to expose the man, still curled tightly into himself. 

Cautiously, the stranger lifted his head and looked around before crawling free of his hiding place. Ignoring her stiff fingers, Rissa got her first good look at him while he stood up and began dusting himself off.

He was taller than she had first expected, his body toned but not muscular like that typical of a guard. Nor did he carry the extra weight of well-fed aristocracy. His long flaxen hair draped across his shoulders and down his back in a wild mane. His alabaster skin held the smoothness of youth and an easy life, but his graceful movements, even his posture, spoke of age and experience. It was obvious to Lady Rissa that he was a man of good breeding and noble birth, but he looked nothing like the current king or his heirs, all of them dark of skin with close cropped black hair. She wondered if perhaps he was a visiting dignitary, somehow mixed up in a situation he had no business in, but she knew of no kingdom nearby whose people looked anything like he did. Nor wore his strange style of dress.  
When he finally lifted his head to look at them, his piercing gaze seemed to seek her out first before moving on to the rest of the group. “I must thank you all for your discretion.” He said, voice melodious and soft. “You have quite certainly saved my life this day and I am in your debt.”

“Well, you can begin repaying it by having a seat, sir.” The countess replied smoothly. “Take one of those two over there. Those frightened hens won't be back to claim them any time soon, I'm sure.”  
The stranger smiled and nodded, taking a seat as directed. His handsome face beamed nearly as warmly as the sun itself and Rissa felt herself drawn to him. She could barely restrain her arms from reaching out to touch him, and she noticed, with some amusement, that she wasn't the only one.

“Now then,” the countess began as he settled himself, her own brown eyes narrowing as she studied the man herself. “Who are you and why does that idiot nephew of mine think you are worth trespassing for?”

The man chuckled softly, seeming to come alive now that the danger had passed. “You may call me Corin. And as for why I was being chased, well,” He paused and inhaled deeply, his eyes drooping in weary sadness as his shoulders rose and then fell with his exhalation. “I suppose you could say that he enjoys a challenge, and considers me the only challenge left for him to overcome.”

Lady Rissa gasped, feeling herself filled with a bitter mixture of horror and impotent rage. “What?!” She squeaked. “But that's terrible!”

The other ladies at the table murmured their agreement to her words.

Corin turned his head, meeting her gaze once more. Rissa gasped again as she felt herself flayed beneath his gaze. She held no secrets from that man, although they had never met before. She felt herself weighed and judged before she was finally released. Nothing in his expression changed, but somehow his smile felt warmer, more genuine. “I'm glad to hear you think so, my lady.” He said softly.  
“So barbaric!” Another of the ladies said, gaining Corin's attention. Rissa was glad to see her also stiffen under the man's intense gaze. She wasn't the only one, then. Only the countess seemed unaffected.  
“Is it really so unusual, then?” Corin asked of her. “Do not your men often chase after what they see as lesser beasts for mere sport and conquest?”

“Well, yes, but that's different.” Said yet another of the women, wanting his attention yes equally helpless as the rest of them once receiving it. Her mouth gaped open and closed several times before she was able to speak again, her voice barely above a whisper. “You-you're not some mere animal to be hunted for sport.”

Corin looked down at his claped hands and smiled again, but there was no warmth in the expression this time. For a brief moment, Rissa felt an immense sadness radiating off of the man and felt sure that she would be crushed to death under it's weight, but then just as suddenly as it came, it was gone again. “I appreciate the sentiment.” He replied politely. 

The realization dawned on Rissa that they were all being judged, one by one, and some of them had already been found wanting. When his eyes rose back up to meet hers again, Lady Rissa could swear that the golden corona had somehow flared wider in his eyes, and it filled her with a comforting warmth. Did that mean she was found worthy somehow, she wondered?

Countess Keltisse gave a sigh of disappointment, gathering everyone's attention to herself. “Really. I knew that boy was trouble, but this is just too much. Fear not, sir Corin, I will be giving my sister and her husband a good talking to about him. Really, how they could ever raise such a man...” She flipped open her fan and began flapping it at her face as she scowled at the table. “Please do accept my deepest apologies for his behavior.”

The warm radiance returned to Corin's face. “You owe me nothing, and yet you've already given me so much.” He replied. “If anything, I still owe you the debt of my life. If you tell me how I can repay it, I will do so gladly.”

Countess Keltisse's scowl curled into a wry grin as she looked around the small picnic table. “Well, you've certainly managed to liven up our little gathering here. This has been the most interesting tea party I've had in quite some time. And my dear friends here do seem quite taken with you. If you wouldn't mind spending a little more time in our company, perhaps sharing some interesting stories, I will consider us even.”

“Why, I would be delighted to enjoy the company of so many...” He paused as his eyes once more took in those gathered, stopping finally as he met Rissa's gaze. “...lovely ladies.”

The time from that point passed far too quickly for Lady Rissa's liking. Hours melted away in mere moments, and she was caught by surprise when a servant appeared to announce that the coaches were ready and waiting.

“What a pity.” The countess said with a glance at the sky. “But I suppose it is getting a bit late. Well, Corin, I suppose your debt is now repaid. Please, feel free to come calling again in the future. And if Robert gives you any further trouble...”

Corin stood and smiled again, a look of unguarded pleasure. “I thank you again, for everything.” He reached out and gently grasped her hand before bowing over it, although he did not kiss it as was common custom. Instead he met the countess' gaze. “You have a good heart. You will find what you truly desire soon.”

Lady Rissa watched in surprise as a blush crept up the face of the seemingly unflappable countess. Her free hand rose to her chest as if to contain her heart, her mouth opening to offer some comment that refused to make itself known. After several seconds, she regained her composure and offered him a genuine smile instead.

The man then released her hand and turned to the rest of the guests, offering a shallow bow. “May you all have a safe and pleasant evening.” And with that, he was gone. Standing before them one moment, swallowed by the surrounding greenery the next, leaving no evidence that he had ever been among them. For a moment, Lady Rissa found herself wondering if the mysterious handsome stranger had ever truly existed to begin with.

Begging fatigue, she had gone straight to bed once she returned home to avoid the questions of her parents. They had hoped that her attendance to the Countess' party would lead to her making useful friends and political connections that would eventually lead to... what, Rissa was not entirely sure. A wealthy husband? More land? A space in the King's court? Rissa cared little about any of it.

As she threw herself on top of her mattress, her thoughts were absorbed entirely by the mysterious Corin. Everything from his piercing eyes, unusual mannerisms, even his strange clothes all drew her to him and demanded her attention. Where had he come from? Why was the duke's son treating him like some trophy to be hunted? Where did he go when he finally left their company? And the biggest question of all, would Rissa ever see him again?

Even amongst the royals, she had never seen anyone like him before. His pale skin and graceful elegance did not give the air of someone who worked fields for a living. And despite the dirtied state of his clothes, they were of a high quality that only a few could afford. Not for the first time, she wondered what land could have produced such a man.

As Rissa closed her eyes, she saw his own staring back at her, the golden corona spiking out into the brilliant green, like beams of morning sunshine filtering through the forest. Those eyes held such an intensity that she felt herself pinned down as if being crushed by some invisible weight, once again exposed and judged.

Snapping open her eyes, Rissa still felt the weight of his stare. Had he found whatever he had been looking for? Had she passed whatever tests he had set for her? She didn't understand why his opinion of her mattered so much, but somehow it did. She thought it was favorable, but she wasn't sure. She also didn't know how to find him again to ask.

When sleep finally found her troubled mind, her dreams were filled with Corin. His gaze, his voice, his light touch and witty banter. She felt herself undeniably drawn to the strange man. She needed him like her lungs needed air to breathe. And somehow he knew it. Knew it and controlled her need.

The following days were no easier on the young woman. Her nearly every waking thought was consumed by a man she had barely known. Her studies, once so important, went mostly neglected while she daydreamed about Corin taking her hand just as he had Countess Keltisse's. He would look deep into her eyes, those searching eyes of his, and he would tell her that she would soon have her heart's deepest desire.

“But my deepest desire is you.” She muttered softly.

'Then you shall have me.' Her imagination replied.

“What was that, dear?” Her mother's voice intruded, scattering her thoughts like a cluster of frightened mice.

Rissa shook her head to clear it. “Um, what was what, mother?”

Lady Rissa's mother lifted her head from her needlework, giving her a puzzled frown. “Didn't you say something?”

“Oh, did I?” Rissa said, lowering her head back down towards her book to hide her burning face. “I must have been reading aloud or something. Sorry, Mother.”

Rissa pretended to throw herself into reading her lesson, but she could feel her mother's concerned gaze on her. “Dear, are you sure you're alright? You've been acting strangely since the tea party. Did something happen?”

“Not really.” Rissa replied without thought and without lifting her head. She hoped she sounded casual, and the note of nervousness in her voice, that was so loud in her own ears, was not actually there. “It was just the usual boring get together. Tea, snacks, boring gossip of idle minds. You know how it is.” She finally looked up, closing the book with a dull thump. “You know what? I think I just need some fresh air. I think I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back before supper.”

Without waiting for a response, Rissa jumped from her stool and darted out of the room. No one tried to stop her as she left the house and began making her way down the road toward town. Lady Rissa had not expected any resistance, but sometimes her parents got too caught up in the appearance of respectability and insisted on rules that Rissa felt were just plain silly.

The sun was hiding behind thick clouds, giving the world an odd sort of glow. The air was far too still, reminding Rissa of a stalking cat, frozen perfectly still while preparing to pounce. She hoped it wasn't going to rain before she got back home, but such turbulent weather would be appropriate for her turbulent thoughts.

Abandoning the road, Rissa decided that a stroll through the woods was in order. She had loved the woods when she had been a child, before her parents had been granted their status and lands and had suddenly felt the need to be 'proper'. She had enjoyed running through the trees and climbing to the highest branches she could. Sometimes she would find something magical, like a nest full of squeaking pink hatchlings or a hidden fawn waiting for the return of its mother.

She was too old to climb the trees now, and the magic had largely faded from encountering random animals, but she still felt a small comfort walking amongst the old trunks she had once considered friends.

She had only taken a few steps in when a flash of white caught her eye, there and gone in the space of a blink. Rissa watched the place where she had seen it, but it did not reappear. Curious, she began to make her way over to the place she thought something had been, but there was not even so much as a disturbed leaf to indicate any living thing had been there.

Another glimpse of white further in the forest made her snap up her head, but again it was gone before she could identify it. Rissa began to feel toyed with and it made her angry. She stormed her way toward the latest glimpse when yet another lured her still deeper away from the road. She wondered if she was chasing some animal, perhaps a hind or a strange bird, but something about the sights drove her to find the source of her intrigue. It intensified with every step until she felt sure she would go mad if she didn't satisfy her curiosity.

Her madness only escalated when she reached yet another empty place. Letting out an irritated growl, she lifted her head and spun around in a circle. “Where are you?” She asked the forest itself. “What are you?! Why can't I find you?!”

“Lady Rissa?” A familiar voice answered from the trees. “Are you alright?”

Rissa spun around to face the speaker. Several feet away, Corin leaned out from behind a tree, looking at her with genuine confusion. The wrinkling of his forehead also hinted at a small bit of fear. Was he afraid? Of her?

Rissa imagined herself from his perspective, a strange woman wondering alone in the wood and talking aloud to herself, and felt a deep shyness suddenly overtake her. “Oh. Sir Corin.” She said bashfully, bowing her head to hide her blush. “This, uh, this isn't what it looks like, I assure you. I haven't gone mad or anything. At least, I don't believe I have.”

Corin smiled nervously, although he didn't move from behind the tree. “Do you require some assistance with something? Did you lose an item, perhaps?”

“Oh!” Rissa exclaimed, looking around at her surroundings for the first time. “No, I just...” She paused, trying to find the words to describe what she'd been doing without coming across as mad. “I was just, um... If you don't mind me asking, just what are you doing out here?”

Corin finally stepped from behind the oak and approached her, his face relaxing into a friendly smile. “I come here often.” He said softly, his footsteps barely making a sound. “It's usually quite peaceful here, and I can enjoy a bit of time alone with my thoughts. This is the first time anyone has ever found me, actually.”

“Goodness! I'm so sorry, Sir Corin.” Rissa exclaimed. “It was certainly never my intention to bother you at all.”

Corin finally captured her eyes with his own, his intense stare paralyzing her in place. “No bother at all.” He replied. “Actually, if you will forgive my boldness...” The words trailed away as he came closer to stand directly in front of her, near enough to touch if either of them reached out just a little. “If anyone was to find me, I'm glad it was you.”

Lady Rissa felt her mouth moving, but her words were infected by her bashfulness and refused to come forth. Looking up into Corin's gaze, she felt as if she were falling into those pools of deep green and gold. The world began to spin around her as she was pulled in deeper. “Why me?” She finally managed to ask without breaking the spell, her voice a mere breath.

Corin smiled and finally averted his gaze, sending her sailing back into her own body so hard that she rocked back on her heels and nearly toppled over. “Because, you are an interesting individual.” He answered, the confidence returned to his voice. “Unique, really. I've never met anyone quite like you, Lady Rissa.”

Rissa blinked several times, trying to set her jumbled thoughts back into order. Interesting? Unique? Her? “You flatter me, sir. I'm not so different from any other maiden in the kingdom.” Like most of the people from her home village, she had long black hair the color of fertile soil, and skin darkened by days spent in the sun. Her eyes were a cloudy grey she'd never found particularly appealing and her hands had never quite lost their calluses. She was no great beauty, either. Even among the poor peasants of her youth, there were others who shared her features yet were much lovelier than she.

“Really.” Corin replied softly, his voice a gentle caress that made her want to lean into it. “Is that true? Then why were you the only one who rushed to offer me aid? The others only followed you by example.”

“You needed help. Most of them would have offered it.” She argued meekly. “I just got to you first, is all.”

“Your modesty prevents you from seeing the truth I suppose.” A note of disappointment crept into Corin's voice, but it stung as much as a slap to her cheek. “You never did say why you were here or what you were looking for, though.”

“Oh!” Rissa was caught off guard by the sudden change of subject and it took her several seconds to collect her thoughts. “I just needed some fresh air, so I decided to go for a walk, but then I... I thought I saw something, likely some animal in the woods, and I wanted to know what it was.” As the words reached her own ears, she began to feel foolish. A lone lady, wandering the woods in search of some random wild animal she had barely caught a glimpse of, and then yelling at trees when she couldn't catch it? Sure signs of a disturbed mind.

“I see.” Was Corin's only reply. There was no judgment in his voice, merely acceptance of her explanation.

“It's not that I do this often, of course.” Rissa found herself rambling. “It's just been a strange few days and I needed a distraction, and since I used to play in the woods as a child, I-” She forced herself to stop talking before she revealed something she shouldn't.

“I see.” he repeated.

Rissa lowered her gaze in embarrassment, surprised as she noticed for the first time that he was wearing the same oddly-cut clothes as the first time they had met, or at least identical ones, except now they were clean and white. There was no dirt or scuffing, not even so much as a stray leaf dared to cling to him. He had to be some form of royalty, she surmised, for surely only a royal could afford to wear such finery so casually.

“Sir Corin, may I ask where you come from?” She blurted out before she could stop herself.

“You may ask me anything you desire.” He replied. “But I don't always guarantee you satisfactory answers.”

Rissa frowned when he said nothing more, raising her gaze once more to his face although she avoided his eyes. Instead, she fixed her gaze to his mouth, wondering in the back of her mind if his lips were as velvet soft as they looked. “Is it some sort of secret? Are you really a criminal like Isabelle said?”

His lips curled into a teasing smile. “Would you turn me in if I was?”

“Certainly not to that fool, Northam.” She said without thinking.

Corin laughed heartily. “I appreciate that.”

A warning rumble of thunder interrupted their conversation. Rissa looked up and was surprised to find the sky had become so dark. “Oh, a storm is coming. I suppose I should get back home before it reaches us.” She turned her attention back to Corin. “I am sorry to have interrupted your solitude, but I did enjoy your company.”

“And I yours, Lady Rissa. Your presence could hardly be considered an interruption.” Corin replied, a sense of warmth and gratitude momentarily enveloping Lady Rissa as she stared at his smile. “Please feel free to 'interrupt' again.”

Rissa felt a slight blush creep up her neck to cover her face. “But where should I find you again if I do so wish to impose on your time, Sir Corin? I don't know where you reside.”

“Ah, a good point.” Corin said softly, his head turning to take in the forest surrounding them. “Well, I suppose if I wish to be found, you can find me right here.”

“In the woods?” Lady Rissa asked skeptically. “If I should wish to call on you, I should come wander around in the woods until I find you?” Another rumble of thunder rolled as if to add mockery to her question.

“You could always try calling for me first to see if I answer.” He replied with another smile. “I should be able to hear you from the road. And speaking of which, would you like me to escort you back to that road or can you find your way? I would hate for you to get lost in here and end up wandering around during this storm.”

Lady Rissa was fairly certain she could find her way out despite her wandering, but she wished to stretch out her time with Corin for as long as she could get away with. “I would greatly appreciate your escort to safety, sir Corin.”

“Of course, my lady.” He replied. With a sweep of his arm, he indicated the direction he planned to go. “This way.”

Rissa's skin tingled with glee at his words. 'My lady.' Had he really called her his lady? What did that mean? Was it pure politeness or was there more to his harmless comment? She felt as if she were walking on clouds as the pair walked quietly through the forest until the trees suddenly pulled away and the old dirt road waited patiently like a loyal hound.

“Oh, we're here. Thank you again, sir Corin.” Rissa said dreamily, turning to face him one last time.

“My pleasure, Lady Rissa.” He replied and gave her a shallow bow. “I look forward to our next encounter. Until then, be well.”

Rissa remained in the clouds for her entire walk back to her home, neither the rolling thunder or distant flashes of lightening were able to penetrate the fog of her fantasy. The first light drops of rain were the soft touches of her lover or tender kisses to her cheeks and eyelids. She managed to reach the manor and closed the door just as the storm blew in force, sighing dreamily as she leaned against the painted wood.

She failed to notice her mother standing nearby, watching her as she danced across the floor to her room, humming a soft tune. For the first time that she could recall, Lady Rissa was in love. Not just a childlike infatuation, she had somehow encountered her true soulmate, chosen for her by whatever gods or spirits ruled the fates of mere mortals.

Reaching her room, she threw herself on her mattress and let out another dreamy sigh. Her mother peeked in the doorway unnoticed, watching her daughter with a mixture of love and concern. “Are you feeling alright, dear?” She asked.

“He called me 'my lady.' Can you believe it?” Rissa sighed back as she stared unseeing up at the ceiling. 

Rissa's mother smiled broadly and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “Have your eye on a young man, do you? Is it that handsome young Robert Northam?”

Rissa lifted her head to scowl at the older woman. “No. Of course not.” She practically spat with disgust before bliss rushed back in a wave. “Corin. Corin of... Well, I don't actually know his last name yet, but I bet he's a knight. Or a foreign prince. And oh, mother, he's so... I don't even know what he is, but he called me 'My lady'!”

“Corin? I don't believe I've heard that name before. Where did you meet this gentleman?” Her mother asked in a soothing tone, brow furrowing in thought. 

Rissa immediately sobered. She never had told either of her parents about the intrusion on the Countess' party, and didn't think it would be such a good idea to do so now. “On the road into town. I um, thought I saw something in the woods and he thought I was in trouble, so he helped me find my way out again.”

Her mother laughed softly. “Oh, he must be a foreigner then, to think you could ever become lost in a forest. You'd think you were born a wildling the way you used to play in those trees back then. A regular squirrel, you were!”

“I didn't bother to mention any of that.” Rissa said sheepishly. “I hope I'll get to see him again soon. He's just so magnificent.” A crash of thunder gave slight vibrations to the manor, emphasizing her words.

Rissa's mother smiled indulgently, assuming the meeting to be a harmless chance encounter and her daughter enjoying a crush. Giving her arm a loving pat, she silently left the room.

Several days passed before Rissa was able to escape the house again, but her desire to be with Corin did not fade. If anything, the fire of her passion continued to grow until it consumed nearly every waking thought. It was a warm, sunny day when she finally couldn't take any more time away, and slipped off to head for the woods.

As she reached the same point that she had first seen the mysterious flash that had driven her into the forest, she stopped and peered eagerly into the trees. Squirrels darted through branches. Birds called out their songs. A soft breeze caused the trees to whisper their gossip. “Sir Corin?” She called meekly, her voice barely reaching her own ears. Clearing her throat, she raised a hand to her mouth and tried again. “Sir Corin? Are you here today?” She called out.

At first she was answered only by silence, and after several seconds she began to lose hope, but then she caught the faint sound of his voice calling out to her.

“Sir Corin?” She called back. “Is that you?”

“I am here, my lady.” He replied moments before stepping into her vision. The sunlight seemed to brighten around him like a halo, sending small fragments of rainbow into the air before fading away. Lady Rissa thought he looked radiant and felt her breath catch in her throat, unable to stop staring at him.

His long hair flowed around his face and shoulders in some breeze Rissa couldn't feel, and his usual white clothes looked soft as silk as they clung to his slender form. His pale skin practically glowed in the direct sunlight, and his eyes squinted just slightly with the crinkle of his smile. His footsteps made barely a sound as he stepped free of the forest to approach her.

“My Lady, you look quite nice, today. Is there some special occasion?” Corin asked as he stopped a few feet from Rissa, his smile almost as warm as the sunlight itself.

Lady Rissa suddenly felt herself grow bashful and turned away to hide her blush. 'You are special enough for any occasion.' She longed to say. “No, nothing special.” She blurted out instead. “This is all... nothing special at all.” She waved her hands down her body to indicate her gown. 

The dress was a deep burgundy with accents of cream and royal blue. It had been custom tailored for her coming out party and had sat untouched in her closet for so long that she had almost forgotten about it. It was also the nicest dress she had with colors selected specifically to go with her complexion. Matching ribbons adorned her hair and a cream velvet choker with a blue pendant circled her throat. 

Corin gave her a wry grin before returning to his usual smile. “Well, your 'nothing special at all' looks quite special to me.”

Lady Rissa's blush deepened, closing her throat to her planned response. After several squeaking attempts at words, she finally managed to get a weak “Well thank you” past her own verbal blockade.  
Corin nodded and gave her a smile, then turned his attention to the sky, giving her a moment to collect herself outside of his scrutiny. “What a lovely day.” He remarked. “Much nicer than the last time I was in your company.”

“It does seem like we've always met under unfortunate circumstances.” Rissa replied. “I hope that's not an open for the future of our relatio- I mean... social interactions. I mean, assuming we do continue to- Well, if you should want to- Oh dear, I fear I'm just bungling this up the more I talk so I'm just going to hope you understand what I mean.”

Corin's laughter was just as musical as his voice. Both of his hands slapped against his chest and his head leaned back as he sent his mirth up into the air. Instead of feeling mocked, Rissa felt her mood lifted by his laughter, and soon began to join him.

Several minutes passed with the pair of them standing to the side of the road, laughing with the fervor of drunken revelers until Lady Rissa could no longer remember what had started them off in the first place. Her chest began to hurt and yet she still could not stop, it felt far too good to be happy for no reason. Still clutching his chest, Corin also continued with abandon, thin glistening streams of tears running from both of his eyes. If this was madness, she thought, it really wasn't so bad after all.

Lady Rissa could barely catch her breath when the glee finally faded away. Her legs felt weak and her ribs were sore, but she couldn't remember a time when she had felt better in recent memory. “Oh, thank you so much, Sir Corin. I really needed that.”

Corin let his own laughter fade away and offered her a toothy grin, his teeth as perfect as the rest of him, sitting in a straight row, white and unblemished. Even the royal family had not found a way to accomplish such a feat. “Myself as well, apparently.” He replied. As his glorious eyes found her own, Rissa found herself immediately falling into their depths. “You truly are quite a remarkable person, my lady.”

'He said it again!' She screamed inside of her own head. “And you are truly perfect.” She replied dreamily, lost within he own giddiness and the power of his gaze. 'Wait, did I just say that out loud?'

“Oh, hardly that.” Corin replied modestly. “I'm just different than you're used to, which is not the same as perfection.” He looked away, breaking the spell, and Rissa nearly stumbled as she fell back into herself. “I hope you shall forgive me, my lady, but I think I need a rest in the shade. Would you care to join me?”

Lady Rissa's head spun. She couldn't seem to process her thoughts fast enough to make sense of everything that had just happened. She felt as if all the parts of her, thoughts, emotions, memories and hopes, had all been dumped into a large bowl, stirred vigorously, and then dumped back into her head. “Ok.” She finally said numbly before following quietly behind him as he led her to a shaded place in the grass and sat down.

Spreading out her skirt, Rissa settled beside him, still struggling to sort out the tangle of her mind. Corin watched her curiously, as if studying the details of her face. “Sir Corin, I realize that I know very little about you.” She finally said in hopes of distracting him. “Please, tell me about yourself.”

Corin's smile stretched into a lopsided grin. “Very well. What would you like to know?”

Curiosity joined the scrambled mix, further putting Lady Rissa out of sorts. “Well, start with the basics, I suppose. Where did you come from? What was your childhood like? What is your name? Family? You know...” She rolled her hand in the air.

Corin nodded and once more cast his gaze to the sky. “The basics. I see.” His mouth pursed in thought. “Well, not much to those, really. I was born not far from here, although we used to do a lot of traveling, back when the world was... not as small as it is now. My youth was rather nice. I grew up surrounded by those I loved, and loved me in return. We found our joys in simple things, a sunny day, a particularly attractive flower, births were celebrated for weeks on end. I remember a lot of sunny days and particularly attractive flowers.” He smiled wistfully and his eye closed as he lost himself to his own memory.

A long silence stretched out between them, and yet Rissa felt herself at peace as she looked up at his face. Despite the cover of shade, his skin almost appeared to glow. Her twisted thoughts finally unknotted themselves and came to rest as she basked in his aura.

“My parents,...” Corin's soft voice somehow complimented rather than shattered the silence. It wrapped around Rissa's ears like a warm quilt on a chilly night. “They were quite nice. I think they would have liked you.”

“Oh. Oh, Corin. I'm so sorry.” Lady Rissa said, blinking back tears as she imagined the eventual loss of her own parents. She knew they wouldn't live forever, as much as she wished for them to, but she also knew that when the day did finally come, she was going to feel lost and devastated. Corin barely looked older than herself, and the way he spoke made her assume that the loss happened when he was still a child.

Corin lowered his head and looked at her, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Sorry? Whatever for?”

Lady Rissa gently laid a hand on his forearm to offer support. “Was it... was it plague that took them?” She asked instead of explaining.

Corin met her eyes, and the probing feel returned as she met his gaze. Rissa suddenly felt as if all of her flesh had been stripped away, and only her soul remained, nakedly exposed for his searching gaze. “Not of the sort you are referring to, my lady.” He finally replied cagily.

Shaken by his probing stare, she decided to abandon the subject. “Ok, well, what about your name then?” She tried, adding a note of playfulness to her voice despite how much it shook as it left her mouth.  
Corin smirked at her. “Have you forgotten my name already, my lady?”

Lady Rissa fought to fight back the blush she felt creeping up her neck. “No, that's not what I meant at all.” She argued. “I meant, what is your surname? Do you have any titles or land? For example, my full name is Lady Larissa Harper. My family owns a small manner not far from here.”

“Ah yes. That.” Corin replied, turning his gaze away again. “I had almost forgotten how your people enjoy their verbal pageantry.” 

Once more, Rissa was taken aback by his words. She almost felt as though she should feel insulted, but she couldn't quite figure out why. Even more concerning was his comment “your people”, which only strengthened her assumption that he had come from some far away land.

“Well, if you must call me something more, then I suppose you may refer to me as Corin of the Vale.” He finally replied. “It seems like the most appropriate title.”

“Sir Corin of the Vale?” Rissa pressed.

Corin chuckled lightly. “If it so pleases you, Lady Larissa Harper.”

Lady Rissa sighed softly. She didn't really feel like explaining how titles worked in her society, especially when she couldn't tell for sure if he wasn't simply teasing her. “I see.” She replied dryly. “I feel like the more I learn about you, the less I know.” Corin began to laugh again, but this time, Rissa did not join in. “At least I know your answers are too vague to be lies.” The laughter slowly faded away until only an indulgent smile remained. “I will never lie to you, my lady. I may not give you as much truth as you'd like, but it will always be the truth nonetheless.” Rissa pouted and lowered her gaze to the grass, watching the dance of shadows across the ground. “Why? Do you not trust me or something?” “I trust you more than anyone else I currently know.” Corin replied. “How much do you trust me?” While Rissa could not see the wink, it was implied in the teasing tone of his voice. Lady Rissa sighed lifted a hand to indicate their surroundings. “I'm here, with no chaperon, in a...somewhat secluded place, with a man I barely know and who doesn't seem to want me to know him better. Maybe I need to trust you a little less.” This time, when Corin laughed, Rissa joined in. “To be honest, I was surprised when you and your friends helped me in my hour of need.” He replied softly. “It was not my intention to find any of you, that was purely an accident brought on by desperation.” Rissa realized at that moment that her hand was still on his forearm, and gave a light squeeze. “I'm sorry that Robert was causing such mischief for you. He's always been a little, well, not that it makes it any better, but he's never really been quite right.”

Corin turned his head to look at Rissa, who reflexively raised her own eyes to meet his stare, immediately losing herself within it. “You carry no blame for his actions. There is no reason for you to add that burden to your own shoulders.”

Distracted, Rissa barely noticed when her hand began to slip from Corin's forearm. Without breaking their gaze, he gently grasped her hand and placed it back in place. Lady Rissa felt as though she would burst from the brief interaction. Minutes melted away as they sat, silently staring into each others eyes.

“I'm afraid I must be going now.” Corin finally turned away, freeing Rissa from the strange power that held her. “This has been a most pleasant afternoon, however. I look forward to the next one.”  
“Oh, already?” Rissa replied dreamily, barely registering the length of the shadows covering them.

“I suspect someone is going to be wondering where you are fairly soon here.” Corin said as he rose to his feet and then offered his hand. “And they may not be pleased with me for keeping you away.”

“Looking for me? But it's only- oh!” Rising with his aid, she finally looked around and noticed how late it had become. “You're right. I need to get home. I didn't realize how late it had become.”

Corin chuckled softly. “Safe journey home, my lady. And be well. May our next encounter come soon.”

Rissa arrived home in time to avoid any suspicions or punishments for her absence, yet her free time was quickly claimed with various tasks and social invitations she was not able to decline. The occasional suitor asked for her attention, but no matter how much her parents approved or urged, none of them were Sir Corin.

The month had nearly passed before she was able to find time to herself again. The sun hid behind the clouds as she made her way to the meeting place, but there were no hints of rain. Hope lightened her step, making her nearly skip her way down the road.

Everything was quiet as she approached the usual meeting spot, but something felt off. Different. In the back of her mind, Rissa felt as though she already knew Corin was not there waiting for her, but she couldn't figure out why or what had changed. Another instinct told her that someone, or some thing, was waiting for her instead. A person or creature of ill intent that she would do best to ignore.  
Waving the feelings away as just products of her over-active imagination, Lady Rissa eagerly approached the woods, stopping at the edge of the cleared roadway. “Sir Corin?”She called out into the forest. “Sir Corin, are you about today?”

She heard something step in the forest, the crunch of brittle wood reaching her ears and sending her heart racing. At first, she thought it was Corin responding to her call, but more steps came, crashing through the underbrush. Something very large and very heavy was heading her way. It took her a moment to remember that Corin's steps were always light and quiet.

Lady Rissa tried to turn and run away, but her feet remained rooted in place, fear holding her body hostage as the large creature came closer. The scream that bubbled up in her throat was also too frightened to come forth. The louder and closer the crushing steps came, the more Rissa regretted her decision to ignore the warnings of her instincts.

Seconds suddenly stretched out, making everything around her slow to a crawl. A shadowed form began to appear in the edge of the trees, seeming to materialize out of the darkness itself. The silhouette shifted and writhed grotesquely, Rissa's mind unable to fathom what horrible monster could possibly be behind such a hideous form. When the first of the shadows began to peel away, Rissa thought for sure that she would faint from the fear. An inhuman head emerged first, dark eyes focusing on her with fiery intent. Curved black horns spiked from the beast's crown. It's long snout ended with flaring nostrils that glowed like red coals. It's hungry mouth bit at the air in threat of its attack. The shadow of folded bat-like wings humped across it's back began to spread, shoving the dangling tree limbs out of it's way in preparation of a leap onto his helpless prey. Lady Rissa tried once more to scream, but her throat constricted around her voice like a python. She tried to move, but her limbs refused to listen. All she could do was stand frozen and stare in abject terror as the monster transformed before her eyes into... a horse and rider. A completely normal horse and rider. In fact, as her fear slowly melted away and the drumbeat of her racing heart slowly calmed, she realized that she recognized both of them. “Robert?” She exclaimed in disbelief, the glamour of her imagination melting away like snow in the weak sunlight. “Lady Rissa.” Robert greeted her. “An unexpected pleasure.” He urged his horse to walk closer, stopping a few feet away. “Is there something I can do for you?” “I,...uh...” Lady Rissa took a moment to catch her breath and gather her thoughts. “Do for me? No, not really. What, uh, what brings you out here today?” Robert Northam let out a soft chuckle, his voice not at all as appealing to Rissa's ears as Corin's own. “Why, I could ask you the same, m'lady.” He shifted in the saddle to look behind him at the woods, then turned his eyes back on her. “What brings you out here? And why were you calling for me?” “Oh, I wasn't calling for you.” Rissa bowed her head shyly. “I was... calling for a friend. We meet here sometimes. I guess he just wasn't here today.” Robert's eyes narrowed suspiciously. “A friend? In the woods? Is it a deer or something? I do hope you're not involving yourself in the affairs of bandits and highwaymen. I've heard there are still a few roving bands of them that the king's men haven't managed to catch yet but it's really only a matter of time. And you don't want your reputation besmirched by such types.”

“Sir Corin is nothing like that!” Lady Rissa snapped back. “He is a good and gentle man who would never harm a soul.” She huffed, then calmed herself again. “But why were you in these woods? Were you hunting down these bandits and robbers you described?”

Robert frowned slightly. “Oh goodness, no. That chore is better left to those hired to deal with it. I prefer not to handle the riff-raff when I can help it.” He scowled down at his fancy doublet and brushed away an imaginary bit of dirt, as he he had become soiled just by talking about those of a lower station than himself. “My hounds led me here, actually. Still searching out that elusive beast that has managed to elude me for so...long.” He paused a moment and scowled again as he repeated his own words in his head, then shrugged off whatever had bothered him as he beamed proudly back down at Rissa. “Anyway, I have discovered spoor of the beast, so he has definitely been here often. I think I shall have him soon.” He made a fist and shook it as if gripping something tightly.

Lady Rissa scowled angrily up at him, hands landing on her hips. “You should be ashamed of yourself, Robert Northam!” She exclaimed into his surprised face. “It's bad enough that you chase down and kill innocent animals for sheer sport, but to refer to a man as a mere beast and chase him for the sake of your ego! Really, that is a low even for you!”

“What? A man?” Robert stuttered, leaning back in the saddle as if being physically shoved by the accusation. “I would never hunt a man like an animal, no matter how lowly his crimes. What in the world are you talking about?”

Suddenly, Lady Rissa felt unsure of her conviction. “Isn't that what you're looking for? A man?” She asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Robert's face scrunched in thoughtfulness, a strange look coming to his eyes that Rissa could not quite identify. You said you were here looking for a friend of yours. Sir Corbain was it? Surely not Sir Corbain of Whitmere.”

“No. Sir Corin. Of the Vale.” She grumbled, looking to the woods. 

Robert continued to rub his chin as he studied her closely. “Please, describe your friend to me. Perhaps I know him after all, but by a different name. I suspect there is an explanation for this little misunderstanding of ours.”

Lady Rissa looked up at him, unsure if she should say anything further. And yet he did appear to be genuinely confused, and he deserved a chance to give his own side of the story, didn't he? “Well, Sir Corin is very kind, and gentle, as I believe I said. Very well mannered. A perfect gentleman every time we've met so far. He really must be a foreign dignitary, although he hasn't really told me from where he hails.”

“Wait.” Robert interrupted, holding up one hand in a signal to stop. His eyes narrowed further and he leaned down to look closer at her. “You said he's foreign? What makes you think that?”

“Because he's so different.” Rissa continued nervously. “His style of dress, his manners, even his physical appearance. He's so pale with long blond hair and- What's so funny?”

Robert's hearty laugh nearly toppled him from the saddle, tears of mirth pouring from his tightly closed lids. “Oh, oh my!” Robert panted, both arms wrapped around his own chest. The charger turned his head to look at his rider, before giving a disinterested snort and lowering his head to graze. “Oh, that creature of mine is far more clever than I gave him credit for! I expected a stag or even a horse perhaps, but he's gone and disguised himself as a man!”

Rissa's frustration only grew and she stamped a foot, startling the horse briefly. “What are you going on about? Explain yourself this instant!”

Robert's laughter finally tapered off and he wiped the tear streaks from his cheeks, leaving slight smudges across his face from his riding gloves. “My dear Lady Rissa...” He replied. “You have befriended my intended target after all, but it's not a foreign man you've been speaking with, but a unicorn in hiding. Leave it to a woman to tame such a beast.”

Lady Rissa was taken aback. “A-a unicorn?” She stammered and backed up a step. “But... that's impossible. They don't exist outside of legends and children's stories.”

“Oh they exist indeed.” Robert replied with a grin of triumph. “And now that I understand how this one has continued to slip my grasp, victory is in sight. I shall my trophy yet!” Without waiting for a reply, he jerked his steed's reigns and swung the large animal around. “Well met, Lady Rissa! Thank you for your assistance!” He called over his shoulder as the horse galloped away.

Lady Rissa felt a wave of cold wash over her, numbing her limbs and causing her to sink to the ground. It couldn't possibly be true, she reasoned. There were no unicorns left in the land if ever they existed in the first place. And even if there was such a thing as a magical one-horned creature, surely they could not shape shift into people. It simply wasn't possible.

But what if it was? What if Robert was right and she really had somehow met such a creature? Not just met but had fallen in love with. She thought about all she knew about Corin, his evasive way of answering her questions, what he'd told her of his family and past life, his strange appearance. In a way, all of it made sense, and yet...

And now she had betrayed him to the very man he had been trying to escape.

She had no memory of walking home, but when Rissa finally became aware of her surroundings again, she was lying in her bed. She was inconsolable, despite the best efforts of her parents and the doctor they called for her. She was asked repeatedly what was wrong, but she couldn't answer. She wasn't even completely able to make sense of it herself.

Her emotions were a mess and her thoughts were a confused jumble. She had fallen for an animal. But he wasn't just an animal, he was a man. He was so gentle and kind. But they had no future. How could they ever wed? Would they be able to have children? Was she willing to spend her life single, meeting a strange man in secret for the rest of her life? But what if Robert was mistaken and he really was just a strange man? And Robert. He would be hunting him even more now. Their meeting place had become forever tainted by his presence. Where before it had felt safe and private, it now felt ruined and disgusting. Would she ever meet Corin again? Would Robert find him first? Was Corin really a unicorn? Did it really matter if he was?

She wrestled with these thoughts and others, struggling to make sense of the revelations that had come from the conversation. Finally, she decided that she needed to see Corin herself and demand the truth. Slipping out in the dead of night, she returned to their usual meeting place.

“Sir Corin!” She called desperately out into the woods. The wind carried her words away and blew her hair into her face. The moon stared down with cold indifference. Only a curious owl responded in the otherwise silent night. “Sir Corin, please! If you can hear me, please come! I need to talk to you!”

She waited, her ears straining for any sound, but only the owl's question reached her. “Who?” The bird seemed to coo. “Who? Who?”

“Who indeed.” Lady Rissa muttered to herself as she sank to her knees, hiding her face in her palms. “Who are you really, Corin? Who did I fall for?”

“My Lady?” Came Corin's worried voice. “Is everything alright?”

Rissa looked up, seeing Corin stepping out of the forest and looking at her with concern. He appeared to glow in the moonlight, the wind that so tousled her own hair barely touching his. “Sir Corin? You came.”

“You sounded like you needed help.” He said as he rushed to her side and knelt down beside her. “What are you doing out here so late? Has something happened? Is someone hurt?”

Without answering, Rissa threw herself forward, her arms circling his neck as she cried into his shoulder. “You came.” She whispered over and over again.

“Please, tell me what's wrong. How can I help you?” He asked softly, awkwardly stroking her back.

Lady Rissa took several deep breaths and forced herself to calm down. Once she had her emotions under control, she finally released Corin and leaned back to look at him. “I... Robert was.. I was... I mean...” She paused and collected her thoughts. “I saw Robert. Here. At our spot. He was looking for you.”

“I know.” Corin gave a tentative smile. “I stayed safely far away until I heard you calling for me. Is that what has you so worked up?”

“No.” Rissa shook her head. “It was... something he told me.” She looked away from the confusion filling Corin's usually deep eyes. “Although, the more I think about it, the more ridiculous it sounds. Really, I think I may have worked myself up over nothing.”

“What did he say?” Corin asked. “Did he insult you in some way?” Did Rissa imagine that note of hope in his voice?

“No. It was... about you.” She paused again, hoping Corin would say something, ask something, deny it had happened at all, but he simply waited silently for her to continue. “He said that you are not actually a man. You are a magical beast wearing a disguise. But that can't possibly be true, can it?” She pleaded and looked back up, allowing herself to be drawn into his eyes and finding the truth there waiting for her. “Can it?”

Corin returned her hopeful stare with one of grim acceptance. “Anything is possible in this world, my lady. Truth requires no belief to exist. I believe the real question here, however, is how much of that truth you are ready for.”

Lady Rissa wondered that exact same thing. Should always tell herself it was all a lie. Maybe the story was a flight of fancy, or a simple misunderstanding of Robert's words. She could easily convince herself that the entire episode had been nothing but a dream. And yet, she knew it would only be temporary at best. And in the back of her mind she would always wonder. “What is the truth, Corin?” She finally asked. 

Corin's mouth tightened, his eyes pulling her in as they plunged into the depths of her soul. Rissa began to feel scoured like an old pot, every last shred of her resistance scrubbed away until her every thought, every emotion, every secret lay bare like shiny copper. Finally, she felt him withdraw and release her from his invisible grasp. “He did not lie to you, my lady.” He said softly. “All he knows is that I am a clever animal, smarter than most of his trophies, but nothing more.”

It was what she had expected, and yet, Rissa was still taken aback by his words. “So... you're really not a man?”

Corin chewed on his words thoughtfully before finally offering her a response. “I am. At this moment. But it's not my natural form, if that's what you mean.”

Rissa's world began to spin around her, nothing making sense. She nearly collapsed in dizziness but held herself upright by sheer force of her will. “Will you... show me?” She asked softly, taking a second look at his oddly-fashioned clothes that nearly fit him like a second skin. They were so clean, so unstained by the dust and grass. “Can I see the real you?”

Corin lifted his head and looked around nervously, as if searching for a hidden ambush. Satisfied they were alone, he finally turned his attention back to her. “If that's what you truly wish.” He finally answered, although his gaze refused to rest, always scanning their surroundings.

“Yes. I think it is.” Rissa replied. “Do you want to go somewhere else to do it?”

Corin glanced back at her and flashed a nervous smile. “This is fine, for now. But once I change I will be more... vulnerable, and visible. I don't expect we will be interrupted but...”

Lady Rissa had no concerns about anyone showing up and did not bother to look. The road was not private, but it was hardly ever used anymore and even Robert Northam had only bothered to come because he was led there by his dogs. “Please, Corin.” She pleaded. “Show me the truth.”

Whatever Rissa had been expecting, it was not what happened next.


End file.
